SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, one of the world’s largest indoor marine life theme parks, held the first edition of an initiative that is designed to broaden children’s knowledge of the ocean as they explore the park’s eight immersive realms.

‘Draw Me the Sea’ saw children aged from seven to 12, from Aldar Education, participate in the exercise, using what they learned from their journey to illustrate the phenomena of the sea.

Prior to visiting SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, schoolchildren from Aldar Education were asked to draw the sea from their perspective. The drawings typically included elements like the surface, waves, a sandy beach and a couple of palm trees.

Upon completing their first drawing, the children visited SeaWorld Abu Dhabi where they encountered a variety of marine life, including dolphins, sea turtles, walruses and penguins.

SeaWorld Abu Dhabi’s Educators, who are present within each realm of the Marine Life Theme Park, further enriched the children’s experience by providing insights into the different species of marine animals they encountered.

Toward the end of the visit, the children were asked to draw the sea again and the results were remarkable, a statement said. The drawings had transformed to depict marine life such as dolphins leaping from the water, rays gliding, sharks surrounded by swarms of tiny fish, small orange starfish at the bottom of the ocean and more.

The illustrations demonstrated the profound impact a visit to SeaWorld Abu Dhabi has on enhancing a child’s cognitive development and deepening their understanding of the marine world as the park allows them to see parts of nature that they have not seen before.

To gain further valuable insights into the efforts of the social initiative, Dr Rama Kanj, a licensed Educational Psychologist, collaborated with SeaWorld Abu Dhabi to observe the educational impact and developmental progress an experience at SeaWorld Abu Dhabi had on young minds.

Dr Kanj said: “The development of young minds can be greatly enhanced by educational environments that include emotional engagement and sensory experiences.

“This approach stimulates multiple pathways in the brain, making learning more impactful and memorable for children.

“SeaWorld Abu Dhabi exemplifies this through its multisensory experiences, which offer a dynamic platform for meaningful learning beyond mere entertainment. Such initiatives set a strong example of how education should be conducted in both formal and informal settings.”

SeaWorld Abu Dhabi General Curator, Rob Yordi, said: “At SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, our mission is to inspire and educate guests about the wonders of the ocean and its inhabitants, with a particular focus on nurturing the curiosity of young minds, fostering a deeper connection and care for the ocean.”

Stephen Sharples – Chief Education Officer from Aldar Education, said: “The first edition of ‘Draw Me the Sea’ has proven extremely successful and we are delighted to be part of such an inspiring initiative that drives conservation and marine life education.”

On September 28, a select number of children will visit the Louvre Abu Dhabi, where they will explore marine life-themed artworks accompanied by SeaWorld Abu Dhabi Educators.

From September 19 until the end of October, guests visiting SeaWorld Abu Dhabi can view the unique collection of drawings in an art exhibition in the Marine Life Theme Park’s One Ocean realm.

SeaWorld Abu Dhabi boasts a team of over 45 educators stationed across the park’s eight immersive realms, eager to engage with guests and share their knowledge of marine life.

For young marine life enthusiasts, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi also houses two state-of-the-art classrooms, which have hosted over 20 school visits since last year. – TradeArabia News Service